The endless litany of kidnappings, murder attempts, conspiracies, drug arrests, prison and rape after rape is hard to stomach and, after a while, hard to completely believe. Readers may raise eyebrows over the author's unquestioning acceptance of Barr's muddled, often half-remembered saga; they surely will wonder about his characterization of her as a brilliant artist.

Still, it'll probably sell well locally -- because, well, have you seen the cover, which uses perhaps the most iconic photo of Barr ever snapped? No? It's after the jump. --Robert Wilonsky

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